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Stop the week: Winner's dinners

Paola aside, there wasn't a cracker in sight

Paola, who is marvellous, said she wanted to see the English countryside. I offered her some of Oxfordshire and a bit of Gloucestershire. Then she decided she’d had enough.

She’s very fond of Hitchin in Hertfordshire. She wants to show me that as retaliation. I lived there for six months when I was five but I don’t remember it well.

We stayed at Buckland Manor, a beautiful hotel, some of it 13th century, near Broadway in Worcestershire. Buckland “village” is a lane with a few houses, no post office, no pub — and the hotel.

The suite was delightful, understated, nice architectural prints, leaded windows, a view of fields, gardens and sheep. The bathroom was immaculately done in inlaid wood. Very posh. I thought highly of the manager, Nigel Power. He was courteous, helpful and discreet.

The food was less satisfactory. At dinner I felt I was in an old people’s